unsinkable Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 My ds-13, who is going to Catholic all-boys prep school in the fall, is starting trombone lessons next week. He is taking freshman band for a music credit. We met with his future teacher (from school) who lent us the trombone & gave ds his first lesson. Ds made some sounds that sounded trombone-y! His teacher from this summer will be coming to our house & was recommended by ds's future band teacher. Anything we should know? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Earplugs. Keep a ready supply. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yslek Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 No advice...just wanted to congratulate you & your son on an excellent instrument choice. :D (I played the trombone for many years, and planned on majoring in trombone performance before I met my dh & deciding to become a wife/mother instead. I still dream of auditioning for a community orchestra someday, though...) Anything I can think of (don't puff the cheeks when blowing into the mouthpiece, keep a small spray bottle of water on hand to help lube the slide, sit up straight on the edge of the chair, etc.) is stuff that will be covered by your ds's teacher. Hope he loves it as much as I did! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yslek Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Earplugs. Keep a ready supply. :D Shocking! :lol: Nah...I understand. Pretty much all instruments sound like dying animals in the hands of beginning players. Trombones tend to sound like dying cows. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 No advice...just wanted to congratulate you & your son on an excellent instrument choice. :D (I played the trombone for many years, and planned on majoring in trombone performance before I met my dh & deciding to become a wife/mother instead. I still dream of auditioning for a community orchestra someday, though...) Anything I can think of (don't puff the cheeks when blowing into the mouthpiece, keep a small spray bottle of water on hand to help lube the slide, sit up straight on the edge of the chair, etc.) is stuff that will be covered by your ds's teacher. Hope he loves it as much as I did! :) Kelsy, The "choice" story is funny! After hsing from gr 1 thru gr 8, ds is going to school (there is not smiling while crying smiley.) He has to take an art or music elective. His choices were: --combo art & music appreciation OR --art class (needed a portfolio of work which he didn't have nor could he produce!) --freshman singers --freshman band/instrument Dh & I were pushing hard for freshman singers. Ds said absolutely not & wanted to take percussion. Percussion was the only instrument that had experience as a prerequisite, which ds did not have! So we are at registration night & we sat at the music & art table for about 15 minutes talking with the dept. chairs. Finally, one of them pointed out that ds could take the instrument class as a freshman w/no experience but could not do that after his freshman year. Any of the other classes he could take after his freshman year. Ds decides he'll pick an instrument. Woodwind or brass is the next choice. His teacher said he'd provide ds w/a clarinet if he picked that or he'd provide him w/a trombone if he picked that. Jack picked trombone b/c he knew what it looked like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Earplugs. Keep a ready supply. :D This was going to be my advice. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Shocking! :lol: Nah...I understand. Pretty much all instruments sound like dying animals in the hands of beginning players. Trombones tend to sound like dying cows. ;) :iagree::iagree::iagree:Earplugs for the whole family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Earplugs. Keep a ready supply. :D Yes, and perhaps an offering of baked goods (oh, my, I just typed "naked goods" - b and n should not be adjacent on the keyboard) for the neighbors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Earplugs are going to be insufficient. I suggest noise-canceling headphones :D http://www.amazon.com/Noise-Cancelling-Headphones-Accessories-Supplies/b?ie=UTF8&node=509318 Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yslek Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Kelsy, The "choice" story is funny! After hsing from gr 1 thru gr 8, ds is going to school (there is not smiling while crying smiley.) He has to take an art or music elective. His choices were: --combo art & music appreciation OR --art class (needed a portfolio of work which he didn't have nor could he produce!) --freshman singers --freshman band/instrument Dh & I were pushing hard for freshman singers. Ds said absolutely not & wanted to take percussion. Percussion was the only instrument that had experience as a prerequisite, which ds did not have! So we are at registration night & we sat at the music & art table for about 15 minutes talking with the dept. chairs. Finally, one of them pointed out that ds could take the instrument class as a freshman w/no experience but could not do that after his freshman year. Any of the other classes he could take after his freshman year. Ds decides he'll pick an instrument. Woodwind or brass is the next choice. His teacher said he'd provide ds w/a clarinet if he picked that or he'd provide him w/a trombone if he picked that. Jack picked trombone b/c he knew what it looked like! Hehe! I originally wanted to play the viola or 'cello, but my school didn't have an orchestra program. My next choices were either oboe or French horn, but future oboists had to start on flute, and future French hornists on trumpet, neither of which interested me a bit. So I chose the trombone, because it could make cool racecar sounds. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I played trombone in junior high. I was the only girl doing so and I loved it. I was first chair all one year, beat those boys good. Ah what memories. Trombone tips. 1. Make sure you hold the trombone at the right level. Too high you'll plow into your stand, too low you'll dent the end on the floor. 2. Like pp said don't puff out your cheeks. 3. Don't grip the slide too hard. It should slide easily. 4. Make sure you put it back in its case after practice. It's very easy to trip over one. 5. Trombones don't stand up by themselves very well. So unless you want a dent in the bell don't lean it against anything. 6. Make sure you clean and wash it as shown. The insides can get gross if you don't. 7. Don't play when the bell is right up against someone's ear, you will get smacked. 8. Don't chew gum while playing. 9. Make sure you lock the slide, it will slide off and dent. 10. Practice, practice, practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 I played the trombone growing up! Stay away from any homeschooling involving narration and know that he may be reticent for some time....numb lips here they come! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgm Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 It's a wind instrument......running and swimming are helpful in increasing lung capacity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 Thanks, everyone! I am excited for him...he seems happy about it. ANother good thing was that he was actually talking with his future music teacher. He is usually very quiet but he held up his end of the conversation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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